Sreesanth should not be let of lightly in slapgate

Harbhajan Singh has been handed an 11-match ban from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being found guilty of slapping Sreesanth.

While Harbhajan’s reaction to Sreesanth’s sledging cannot be justified in any manner, Sreesanth also needs to be pulled up for needless sledging of the opposition. Sreesanth falls in the same category as South Africa’s Andre Nel who does not need a reason to sledge and abuse the batsman.

While Harbhajan has been rightly banned to set a precedent for others, it must be said that a certain level of aggression is necessary in players. Harbhajan’s aggression, except for a couple of incidents in his career including the latest one in the IPL, is generally beneficial for the team. But the aggression of Sreesanth and Nel is totally undesired.

One can only hope that the BCCI pulls up Sreesanth for his “action” which seems to have induced the “reaction” from Harbhajan.